Morrison poised to embark on summit season

Scott Morrison will focus firmly on free trade during international summits in Asia and the Pacific, as regional leaders grapple with escalating tensions between China and the United States.

The prime minister will travel to Singapore on Tuesday to attend the East Asia Summit.

Against a backdrop of sharpening competition between the US and China and the rise of protectionism, multilateral trade is expected to be a major focus at the East Asia Summit.

Leaders are also due to discuss tensions in the South China Sea and violence in Myanmar.

There are growing expectations Australia and Indonesia may sign a major free trade deal on the sidelines of the Singapore summit.

Mr Morrison and Indonesian President Joko Widodo will both be in Singapore for the event and have previously agreed to sign the deal by the end of this year.

The potential signing - a big win for Mr Morrison - would come just weeks after he inflamed diplomatic tensions with Indonesia by announcing a review into whether to move Australia's embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.